What to Do If You See Someone Lying in a Public Place: Latvian Services Explain
Latvia's Emergency Medical Service and State Police explain how to act when someone appears to be sleeping off heavy drinking in a public place. The key advice is not to walk past, to check on the person and to call 112 when needed.
People in Latvia often see someone lying on a street, in a park, at a bus stop or near an apartment block who appears to be intoxicated. The Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) and the State Police explain how to respond, because a passer-by cannot easily tell whether the person is simply asleep, needs urgent medical care, or poses a danger to themselves and others.
NMPD advice
Inga Vītola, chief public relations specialist in the NMPD Communications Department, stresses that the most important thing is not to walk past. She says one should not automatically assume the person is drunk: even a bottle nearby does not rule out a serious health problem or an injury.
First, approach, speak to the person and shake them by the shoulder. If they have merely fallen asleep, they may get up and leave once woken.
- If the person is conscious but, because of heavy intoxication, endangers themselves or others (for example, heads toward the roadway, may fall or is aggressive), call 112 and involve the police.
- If there are obvious health problems, the person asks for medics, or does not answer or respond, call 112 to summon NMPD.
After calling, stay with the person. That allows first aid to begin and helps medics find the location faster. A dispatch-centre medic gives instructions by phone on how to help until the crew arrives.
Unfounded calls
Vītola notes that the service also receives calls from people who see someone lying on the ground through a window or from a car but do not check what has happened. Medics have repeatedly found only discarded rag sacks, and once a New Year's tree wrapped in a bag. Such calls delay crews and may mean they fail to reach a choking child or a person having a heart attack.
Role of the police
Elīna Priedīte, senior specialist in the State Police Public Relations Division, says the State Police and municipal police take part in such cases after assessing the circumstances. Arrival time depends on the overall operational situation and the crews available, as they must also respond to other incidents.
